Sweden’s Almgren and Kenya’s Chepkirui win New York marathon as 60,000 take part

Almgren wins on debut

Andreas Almgren of Sweden won the men’s race in his first marathon at the 26.2-mile distance. He moved ahead of Italy’s Yemaneberhan Crippa in the final mile and finished in 2:06:01. Crippa was 13 seconds back, while Lesotho’s Kamohelo Mofolo took third, narrowly ahead of defending champion Benson Kipruto.

Almgren’s finish was the third-fastest in the course’s 50-year history. He was the first runner to win the event on his debut since Ethiopia’s Gebre Gebremariam in 2010. American Zouhair Talbi placed sixth, setting the fastest time by a U.S. runner at the event.

Chepkirui takes women’s title

American Jessica McClain passed Obiri in the closing strides to finish second, six seconds behind Chepkirui. It was the first time since 2018 that a U.S. woman had finished among the top three. Obiri, a two-time winner, finished behind McClain.

A major anniversary field

The race ran through all five boroughs for the 50th time. Just over 2,000 runners competed in 1976, the race’s seventh year, including 88 women. This year, about 60,000 runners started, nearly half of them women, with participants from more than 140 countries.

The New York City Marathon began in 1970, with its first six editions held entirely in Central Park. It moved beyond the park in 1976 as part of the U.S. bicentennial celebrations and an effort to uplift a struggling city. The event later became one of New York’s marquee events.

Course adjustment and wheelchair wins

The course had a minor change for the first time in 15 years. At Mile 20, runners followed a slightly different route into the Bronx, reducing the number of turns there from seven to five and easing some street closures.